TYSON FURY has been told to defend his WBC heavyweight title against British rival Dillian Whyte.
The Body Snatcher has been named as the Gypsy King’s mandatory challenger by the sanctioning body.
Whyte pulled out of an October bout with Otto Wallin but a potential clash with Fury has been simmering for several months.
A war of words between the former sparring partners has been growing since Fury’s knock-out defence of his title against Deontay Wilder.
The 33-year-old stopped his American rival in the 11th round of their Las Vegas trilogy fight.
Fury then had a window of 30 days to set up a blockbuster undisputed clash with Oleksandr Usyk.
The Ukrainian snatched Anthony Joshua’s heavyweight titles back in September and is set to face a rematch with the Brit early next year.
There had been talk of AJ stepping aside to allow the two champions to meet in the ring.
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But the WBC decision now sets up a mouthwatering all-British superfight, likely to be held in March.
Cardiff and Manchester have been mooted as potential locations, with promoter Frank Warren eager to hold a ‘homecoming’ fight in Britain.
Fury has been typically vocal about the prospect of facing former pal Whyte.
Earlier he vowed to ‘smash the c***’s face in’ and ‘butcher him, no problem’ if the Brixton bruiser was named his mandatory.
